19th Hole: The Readers Take Over

NUMBER, PLEASE
Sirs:
Dan Jenkins' article, Two Gods Too Many (Nov. 9), was great writing of a tough story. Never has anyone walked the tightrope so eloquently.
DICK RAAB
Worthington, Ohio

Sirs:
As a Notre Dame fan who bears in mind that Dan Jenkins has allowed his dislike for Parseghian-led Irish teams to prejudice previous articles, I anticipated that Two Gods Too Many would be a song of praise for Ohio State and Texas and something worthy of a defamation suit by Notre Dame. However, much to my pleasant surprise, I found that Mr. Jenkins has put together the best proposition yet on the unanswerable question of who's No. 1.
DAN PIENNETTE
San Francisco

Sirs:
You can't fool me, SI! While Dan Jenkins names no team as best in the race for No. 1, there's more than one way to skin a pigskin. By using a scoring system of 3, 2 and 1 to rate the positions of the pictures of the three teams as well as the sequence in which they are mentioned (directly or indirectly) throughout the article, one will find that Texas gets seven firsts, 18 seconds and two thirds for 59 points; Ohio State garners 13 firsts, five seconds and nine thirds for 58 points; and the lowly Irish pick up seven firsts, four seconds and 16 thirds for 45 points. SI should stop pussyfooting around and just come out and say that Texas is No. 1!
ROBERT H. FAUST
Austin, Texas

Sirs:
Congratulations to Dan Jenkins. He gave all three schools the recognition they deserve. But, as everyone knows, after the bowl games OSU will be all alone at the top.
R. A. YONTZ
Kent, Ohio

Sirs:
It is odd that the Fighting Irish fan you quoted sees it more clearly than Mr. Jenkins: "It's Nebraska in the Orange Bowl that worries me."
MARK LOTSPEICH
Lincoln, Neb.

Sirs:
I enjoyed your story. I hope Notre Dame and Texas get by their "big tests," USC and Arkansas, respectively. Stanford beat both, and if Stanford beats Ohio State in the Rose Bowl, it just might be very easy to pick the No. 1 team.
MITCHELL J. MILIAS
Englewood, Colo.

Sirs:
Two Gods Too Many was a very good article. A playoff would be the answer.
BOB HANNA
Auburn, Mass.

HAIRY AND HUMAN
Sirs:
The Mad, Mad Punier of Louisville (Nov. 9) by John Underwood was one of the best and most humorous articles that I have read in your excellent magazine. It is very pleasant to read about a young, new and successful coach like Lee Corso who is doing an excellent job of enhancing the University of Louisville's football image. I have a strong feeling that Mr. Corso and his punter warrant close observation.
WILLIAM G. CALDWELL, M.D.
Los Angeles

Sirs:
Ever the enthusiastic, energetic, voluble, young-at-heart, gentlemanly molder of men, Lee Corso apparently hasn't changed a bit since I met him during his stint as an assistant coach at the U.S. Naval Academy. Everyone felt he would make a helluva head coach. Thanks to SI for letting us in on the vibrant world of Scott Marcus and his mentor, Lee Corso.
THE REV. ROBERT A. UZZILIO
Church of the Assumption
Westport, Conn.

Sirs:
Being married to a coach has expanded my interest in sports. I enjoy SI but never have I enjoyed an article—even in McCall's—as much as The Mad, Mad Punter of Louisville by John Underwood. The combination of the author's literary wit with Coach Corso's basic, enthusiastic wit and Punter Scott Marcus' hair has provided a piece that should be required reading for every woman who feels that sport, football in particular, is less than human and enjoyable. Thank you.
DULCIE MCCRACKEN
Long Beach, Calif.